I have progress this week, I finished the small cheater panel baby quilt--so that used up about 4 yards. I did buy 3 yds of fleece to back a bricks and stepping stones quilt. I finished sewing together my masculine heartstrings quilt and its ready to quilt. I found some fleece I think will make a wonderful backing--what do you think??

Have I told you how wonderful my husband is?? A very caring, sharing man. He shared his germs with me! Ugh, two days of not feeling so well and no sewing. But we're recovered now, today we went to a Home, Ranch and Garden show near us. Things to see, door prizes to sign up for. A local group had a quilting booth. Then we went to Fort Randall Casino to eat lunch and ran into some old friends. My oldest sister went with us, it was quite fun. And we took Ruby the quilting dog, she loves to go. Well, it's hard to leave without her, as soon as she sees us getting ready, she waits by the back door, her eyes GLUED to us. (Just in case we slip out the front door.)

Well, I didn't finish anything this week. So no stash used. And I bought 4 yds of fleece. I did sew this week, quilted a cheater baby panel and finishing putting the strings on 48 blocks. Very little fabric bought this year compared to my finishes--that feels good. Oh, I'm not out of stash yet!

I finished quilting the cheater panel with the fleece for backing, and it went GREAT! I used a more open type pantograph, but now can see I could have used a more densely quilted one. Too dense and I think the fleece would get stiff. I used a King Tut variegated thread and Thinsulate for batting. With the fleece on top I could watch for stretching or puckers. I will be using fleece more often, it will be a very cozy quilt.

After a few days off I am back sewing. Tonight I finished the QOV. I like Strippie Quilts, and especially this one with the border fabric going around the edges. I also worked on some string blocks last night, I now have 48 of a more "masculine" type block done. I like my blocks bright and cheery--maybe even a bit on the "wild" side, so these were really HARD to make. More homespuns, plaids, stripes in darker blues and browns. A few wild fabrics thrown in (now I couldn't quit cold turkey!) Next I want to try the fleece backing. Not sure how much I will get done between now and Easter, I am hosting a small Sunday supper.

Quilty things have not been getting done the last few days. Spent two days with my sister at Dr. appointments and running errands/shopping. But it was good to spend time with her. I was unable to participate in Judy's Quiltathon (bummer!!) but I read everyone's posts. Promised myself that tomorrow I would finish quilting the QOV that's on the machine. And I wanted to "practice" quilting with fleece for backing, I have a cheater baby panel and some fleece for backing to try. Mary suggested a thin batting in between to stabilize it and I will do that. I also might try loading it with the fleece on top so I can "see" it it's stretching or puckering.

Ahem, stash report. Nothing finished this week, and I (gasp!) bought 1.5 yards for a border! And I bought half a yard to cut into a new Easter necktie for Ruby the Quilting Dog. (She's very fashion conscious!) Finished sewing a set of heartstrings blocks, so I wasn't completely idle this week. I started trimming them and took a picture of how I center my 9.5" square, I use painters tape to mark the seam lines. It makes it so EASY to center and trim. Yes, I am OCD!!

Yesterday I went shopping and I couldn't resist these shoes. LIME GREEN foam flipflops--they are SO comfortable. Oh spring--where are you!!

Today is a good day. Having my coffee, reading blogs. I found that Dana at the Old Red Barn Co. is having a QUILT GIVEAWAY!! Yes, a quilt, go check it out. (Looks like "my" colors too!) I love her music, I may have to study that and see if I can do that to my blog. So go check her blog out--I need to go quilt that QOV I have ready. Yes, I'm feeling quilty again!

I am getting rested up after Laura Beth and Nick were here this weekend. The leftovers are pretty well gone. Drat--that means I will have to start cooking again. Not much quilty news, worked on some heartstrings blocks, almost have 48 done. And tonight I loaded a QOV someone asked me to quilt--it's done similar to Mary's Strippie quilts--in patriotic fabrics. I hope in a few days I will have it done and a picture taken. I am going to quilt it with a panto called "Jungle Fever". Something not quite so frilly.

I finished the wedding quilt. It's king sized, lots of piecing, so I would guess it used 22 yards. No purchases. The only piece I had to buy was a yard to bind it. But I bought the binding almost a year ago, so guess that it's really part of my stash! It's been great to have DD and DSIL visiting this weekend, they leave in the morning. We've been so busy I've forgotten to take any pictures! I used the Corner Signature 9 patch pattern on Quilter's Cache. That made it easy to be made scrappy in Laura Beth's colors--blues and purples--along with a few others to keep it from being boring. And I could get the signature pieces ready to go without putting the blocks together. With all the traveling to different showers/towns, only one block had to be redone, the writing was too close to the seams. We used pigma pens and I ironed Kona Snow to freezer paper portions to be signed. My best friend was in charge at the wedding, she had a list of names and got the last ones!! Tomorrow I work on the history part of it (who all the people are that signed it and their relationship to the couple) We "gave" Laura Beth a Lane cedar chest for college graduation. They are house hunting, so hopefully there will be room for a cedar chest with the quilt inside soon!

The wedding quilt is almost done. Two sides of the binding are sewn down. Ken helped me wrestle it around the sewing machine--much easier with two of us. You can see by the picture how big it is, even hand sewing the binding down is difficult. I have been baking, made a loaf of bread using mashed potatoes and an egg, it smells heavenly, I can hardly wait for it to cool so I can try it. My mother's bread recipe used cooked potatoes and potato water, so I hope mine tastes like hers. There must be something in the weather, it snowed last night and is cold again, and people are baking.

Okay, I knew it was going to be close. And it was so close I'm not even irritated. Yup--less than a 6x6 inch section of the wedding quilt and I ran out of bobbin thread! But, I WILL finish it in a few minutes. Ahhhhh

I didn't buy any fabric this week, and I didn't finish anything either. But I've gotten a lot done.

12pm. The chicken is in the oven, I've had my coffee and raisin bran, new needle in my machine. Time to thread her and start the cd's playing quilting music! I'll be updating periodically.

4pm. I think I need zippier music, going to change to some Rockin' 70's. The quilting is going slow--but then it's a BIG quilt. So far I've been pleasantly surprised. I put this quilt together in bits and pieces, at home and while camping, on a couple of different machines. And it's still pretty flat and even. So far! Sister called--"don't forget tomorrow is dad's birthday. (he'll be 88 yo) Stopped to make out a short grocery list for DH, (making my dad his favorite pie) and check my chicken. Threw in another load of laundry. As I walked past my puzzle--fit a few more pieces in. So I guess I am getting something done!

10pm. Whew! The sticky chicken was excellent. One more pass on the quilt and I will be halfway. Will work more on it tomorrow and hopefully will get the quilting done. Hope everyone is having fun--I have been reading everyone's posts!